I have a four-year-old boy, so you know that toilet humor reigns supreme around here. I don’t particularly like all the burp and fart and poop talk, but I am a pragmatic woman; I try to make my reality work for me and try not to dwell on the way things “should” be.
So, what passes for classic poetry in my house starts out, “Beans, beans, good for your heart…” and you probably know the rest. I have no problem getting Leandro to eat beans several times a week; what preschooler could resist the lure of stinking out family and friends with such jackhammer potency? It goes much the same for asparagus; I reeled him in with the promise of sulphurous-smelling pee and now it’s one of his favorite (of very few) vegetables.
This is perhaps not the most appetizing of ways to introduce a recipe, but I’ll take my chances that you are interested enough in making fast, easy and healthy black beans that taste just as good as whatever you get in your local Cuban joint to overlook the other factors. Or, if you are a boy of any age, perhaps it is just the intro you need to start incorporating more beans into your diet!
(Note: the more often you eat beans, the better your body processes them, so some of the gassy part dissipates over time. And the low-fat, fiber, protein benefits are incredible. They are also cheap, especially if you soak your own*).
Classic Latin Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
½ red or green bell or cubanelle – Italian long sweet – pepper (about ¼ Cup), diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained (4 Cups if using dried*)
½ Cup water (you can add more as needed)
1-2 stock cubes (vegetarian vegetable is fine; I use Knorr chicken)
1 Tbs dry oregano (or 1.5 fresh)
1 tbs cider vinegar (optional)
Heat olive oil in a heavy soup pot at medium high until fragrant. Add onion and peppers and stir to coat. Lower heat and cook until softened, about five minutes. Add garlic, stir to coat and cook another minute. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat to simmer, about 15 minutes. Serve with white rice (recipe below).
Perfect White Rice (you can halve this recipe if you are not big into carbs)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Cups long-grain white rice (Sello Rojo, Goya or other Latin brand preferred)
4 Cups water
½ tsp salt
Place olive oil in a medium pot (with a tight lid). Begin heating to high while adding the rice. Stir to coat, Add water and salt. Stir once, then bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and allow water to evaporate until it goes below the surface of the rice and there are a couple of holes in the surface. Turn rice over once with a big spoon. Cover and cook on low another ten minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Hot, Cheap & Easy 
Black beans are one of my “go-to” ingredients on weeknights.
Well, that’s still one of my all-time favorite poems. This looks fantastic!
I love cooking black beans and rice. Having lived in Florida so long, it was a staple of so many side dishes when entertaining our friends there.
I love black beans, and I am also interested in your rice making recipe, I am so hopeless at making rice so i do look forward to trying this way.. hilarious that you got your son to eat asparagus with the promise of smelly pee.. c
Thank you for the visit. You are real good cook. You now have a humble follower 😀
This is simple, delicious food. Some good work there! When you have the time, do drop by my blog. I’d love to hear from you!